Overview
- The U.S. Forest Service confirmed that recent thunderstorms sparked three wildfires inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and reported new blazes near the east end of Lac La Croix and east of Loon Lake.
- Officials have asked visitors to avoid the affected areas, closed some nearby campsites, and banned drones over fire zones to protect responders and public safety.
- Multi-agency crews are working the incidents using ground teams and air resources while containment levels for the newly identified BWCA fires were not specified in the latest update.
- Earlier spring fires in northern Minnesota were linked to human causes: the Flanders fire likely began from an escaped campfire and the Stewart Trail fire started after a downed power line; both have since been contained.
- Visitors should expect continued access limits and rehabilitation work in the weeks ahead, and the Forest Service has temporarily barred wood and charcoal campfires in the BWCA as a precaution.